17/VIII.

Three days ago I received your letter, dear Maman, dated 29. VII (10. VIII), as well as one from Manyasha.

I am surprised why you always write that I write rarely: for a very long time now, as far as I can remember, I write weekly, and sometimes it happens twice a week, that is, with each post.

Regarding the box of books, I too am now beginning to be puzzled: after the news received at the end of June from Krasnoyarsk that the books were supposed to arrive at the end of June, that about 9 rubles would have to be paid for them, - I have had no further news, although at that same time (1. VII) I sent two letters about the books to Krasnoyarsk, one of them with money*. An acquaintance who promised to help me with my books turned out to be negligent to the extreme and does not even answer letters**. I have now written an open letter to Popova with an inquiry; perhaps I shall get a reply.

A vexing business! The main thing is - they don't even write, don't inform one in what state the matter stands! Could there not have been a delay at the transport office? For it seems they are scoundrels, they don't take it upon themselves to deliver on time and don't answer for delays?

* Letters not preserved. Ed.

** Who is being referred to has not been established. Ed.

Regarding the loss of your letters, Anyuta also writes to me about this. (By the way, I received Gumplowicz and the "Archiv" from her. I thank you for both books.) I do not know which letters were lost: I always report what I receive. One letter lay forgotten for about two months in Minusinsk, as I have already written to you. I then sent a complaint to the Minusinsk post office and enclosed the envelope of that letter as a document*. If registered letters or parcels have gone missing, then one must keep the receipts and absolutely demand compensation - only then shall we teach the Siberian "Ivan Andreievitches"⁵⁰ to be punctual.

As for writing about myself, there is really nothing to say. That is why the letters are short, because life is far too monotonous: I have already described the entire external situation; but on the internal side, day differs from day only in that today one reads one book, tomorrow - another; today one walks to the right from the village, tomorrow - to the left; today one writes one work, tomorrow - another (I have now diverted myself from my main work by writing an article⁵¹). As for my health, I am of course entirely well; I hunt sometimes. Now the weather is foul: winds, cold, autumn rain, so one sits indoors more. Probably there will still be fine days in September. I am planning to take a trip to Minusinsk to buy myself a few things - a lamp, some things for winter and so on; we are thinking of going together with Prominsky.

I thank Manyasha for her little letter. She writes to me about what I would wish to have from abroad: that Mitya, it seems, is waiting for a steel watch... Hmm, hmm! I have a watch and it keeps good time for now, but an alarm clock would be useful (or rather, could be useful), for I sleep here excessively long, so that, without any doubt, I have not only fully recovered the sleep I had lost before, but also have taken much more than that... But how would you send it here? Unless we have to wait for an opportunity...

As for the fact that Anyuta, living in the country, will not be able to fulfill my commissions about books - this is self-evident. But if she should pass through Berlin on the way back, or through Leipzig, then perhaps.

* Letters not preserved. Ed.